Jul 4, 2016 | Events and Giveaways, Fun Historical Facts
I interrupt my multi-part series in ancient and Medieval wonders for a quick nod to my friends over the Atlantic. In honor of today’s Independence Day, here is the amazing tale of one of the best-known symbols of all time: the dollar, or $. No keyboard is...
Jul 1, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
Photo: Leiden, Bibliotheca Thysiana, Inv. nr. 2200 H. Photography Giulio Menna (@sexycodicology), courtesy of Erik Kwakkel May 31st, 1486 turned out to be an unseasonably hot day on the Rhine. Count Philip was holding court. A duke was droning on and on, and the Count...
Jun 29, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
On January 8, 57 AD, Tibullus, a freed slave in London, promised to repay 105 denarii, a hefty sum, to another freed slave named Gratus. Meanwhile, one friend admonished another that he’s lent too much money and is being gossiped about. And a merchant was making a...
Jun 27, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
Under the ancient oak, home to mighty Zeus, a priest holding a thin sheet of lead is waiting patiently for the widow before him to ask her question. She hesitates for a moment, listening to the rustling leaves over them. “It’s my job to interpret...
Jun 25, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, My Publications, Random Musings
A few years ago, a forest fire ravaged the area where we live. A friend of mine was helping the firefighters when the ground gave way and his leg fell into a hole in the ground. A hole that turned out to be an ancient tomb, complete with offerings and bones. As this...
Jun 23, 2016 | Marketing
For my day job, I’ve been reading some marketing material, pertaining to tourism. Then it struck me; what they were saying made perfect sense for book marketing as well. Just think of your book as a destination and your reader as a tourist looking for a unique...
Jun 21, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
Urvija Banerji of Atlas Obscura shared recently the unusual story of how a man’s desire to flaunt his wealth became a book of Psalms. Many people in the Middle Ages learned to read and worship by studying their psalters, or personal copies of the Book of Psalms,...
Jun 19, 2016 | Publishing
I often argue that we can learn a lot from the music industry. Namely, I see it as an indicator as to what to expect in a few years’ time. That’s why I was intrigued by a recent article in the Economist, detailing the state of today’s music. CDs vs...
Jun 17, 2016 | Random Musings
I love reading. When I read, I am transported to another world, as described and defined by the author. And yet, there is one thing I’d love for books to have: sound effects. One of the things I love about movies, ever since reading about the amazing work done...
Jun 15, 2016 | Maps and Infographics
Continuing on the subject of maps, I recently came across a fascinating post on Atlas Obscura, describing the various kinds of maps used by cartographers. As Harvard landscape architecture professor and author Jill Desimini explains, maps must retain geographic...
Jun 13, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
A couple of days ago, I mentioned one of the greatest fences of all times, Marl Madelbaum. Today I’ll introduce you to a counterpart of hers, “Deadshot” Mary Shanley, an early 20th century undercover supercop. Hadley Meares of Atlas Obscura...
Jun 11, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings
Organized crime in New York is often portrayed as a boy’s game, but one of the first and most influential crime bosses in the history of the city was a Prussian immigrant known as “Mother” or “Marm” Mandelbaum. Eric Grundhauser recently shared her fascinating story on...
Jun 9, 2016 | Maps and Infographics, Marketing
Bookbub recently announced it will start offering advertising spaces. Unlike the vigorous screening process that leaves more books out than it allows in its popular newsletter, these will be available to anyone who can afford them. BookBub Ads will run in a dedicated...
Jun 7, 2016 | Marketing
As I often say, newsletters are a great way of alerting people to new releases, promotional offers etc. Too often, though, our emails end up in the spam folder, never to be seen. So, I wondered, is there’s no way to avoid this? Kevin, CEO & Founder of...
Jun 5, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Maps and Infographics
Continuing my infatuation with maps, I came across this fine 16th-century example of a cartographer’s imagination running wild in an excellent post by Urvija Banerji of Atlas Obscura. The creatures depicted on land in the 16th-century Carta Marina are not...
Jun 3, 2016 | Writing
Procrastination is the bane of many an author’s existence. So, what if I told you that it may not be such a bad thing after all? The Passive Guy recently alerted me to a post by Quartz, which mentions the work of psychologist Maria Konnikova. In her own words:...
Jun 1, 2016 | Blog hops tours & reblogs, Events and Giveaways
Today, we’re celebrating the release of THE DEEPEST BLACK by USA Today Bestselling author Rainy Kaye. THE DEEPEST BLACK is 99 cents for a limited time! Check it out, then scroll all the way down for an opportunity to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Ember has a...
May 30, 2016 | Events and Giveaways
Today is Memorial Day in the US. Memorial Day became a US national holiday in 1971 and is celebrated on the last Monday in May. It continues the custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemeteries and decorating graves – an ancient and worldwide tradition. In...
May 29, 2016 | Interviews Features and Reviews, Writing
You know how much I love trivia about the English language. One of my favorite resources for that sort of thing is the AWC – the Australian Writers’ Centre – and their free weekly newsletter. It includes a great grammar section called Q&A, plus...
May 27, 2016 | Fun Historical Facts, Maps and Infographics, My Publications
A New Pearseus Map Prompted by my recent post on maps in fantasy, I edited the Pearseus map I’d drawn for the Robinson Companion. The new map, seen below, is in high resolution (2700×2200) and includes Caria, a location first mentioned in Endgame, the...
